 vpoko
Premium Member
join:2003-07-03
Boston, MA |
vpoko
Premium Member
2005-Aug-3 11:10 am
Genuinely curiousWhere do the fiscal conservatives here stand on this? Where do you stand on antitrust? Is a monopoly dangerous and should it be allowed? Is this situation bordering on a monopoly? |
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 N3OGHYo Soy Col. "Bat" Guano
Premium Member
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs |
N3OGH
Premium Member
2005-Aug-3 11:10 am
Standard oil-esque?Reminds me of an old cartoon I saw in history class a long time ago about Standard Oil. The company was pictured as an octopus, with it's tentacles in everything...
We could just replace the tentacles with cables.... |
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Primis1
join:2005-06-13
Coldwater, MI |
Is Comcast Too Big?Just ask their userbase. They would have told you they were too big years and years ago... |
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It's not getting smaller....I can honestly say that when I had Cox, I thought I had it bad. I was wrong. Comcast is much more troublesome than Cox ever was.
With the way that the internet is becoming such an integral part of our lives, we need to look at the monopoly factor. When I read that Comcast's profit was up 64% over the quarter, and they still want to charge me at least 25% more for the same connection I had at Cox....I have to wonder where they're headed. I know I echo lots of the same sentiments you guys make - either lower prices for the same connection, or increase speed (down AND up) for that same price.
The invisible bandwidth cap is another tool they have over us. "well, you can't go over the speed limit, but we don't think we need to put up speed limit signs anyway. We'll just revoke your license when you do exceed the speed limit" Heh. |
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wildcards2000
Anon
2005-Aug-3 11:20 am
MonoployCable is a Monopoly. When there is only one allowed service provider, it can be nothing else. They should have never been deregulated unless they was competition.
Yes there is satellite, but where can I get high speed Internet, too far for DSL? |
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 djrobx
Premium Member
join:2000-05-31
Reno, NV ·AT&T FTTP
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djrobx
Premium Member
2005-Aug-3 11:22 am
*Shrug*Very few people have a choice in cable companies anyway. A great number of people in Comcast areas do have a choice in where they get their TV service and broadband from, however. Comcast can't really get away with censoring and controlling content as long as that remains true.
I am less concerned with overall percentage. I'm not sure I like TWC and Comcast homogenizing control over large regions though. For example, Comcast is swapping Los Angeles to Time Warner, so TWC will control 90% of Los Angeles. Without other major players nearby, the franchise boards will be even less likely to be able to give the cable company the boot if they're not performing acceptably. Not that it ever happens anyway.
Comcast has served our area significantly better than any of the smaller cable companies that came before it, so I really can't complain about their size.
-- Rob |
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to wildcards2000
Re: Monoploysaid by wildcards2000:
When there is only one allowed service provider, it can be nothing else.
Name one town where there is only ONE ALLOWED service provider? Don't blame Comcast becuase another provider wil not come into your town. |
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 nixenRockin' the Boxen
Premium Member
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA |
to uncwjason
Re: It's not getting smaller....said by uncwjason:The invisible bandwidth cap is another tool they have over us. "well, you can't go over the speed limit, but we don't think we need to put up speed limit signs anyway. We'll just revoke your license when you do exceed the speed limit" Heh. That's not a speed limit. That's more like saying "you can drive this many miles. You chose how fast to drive them, but when you've driven them, you're done." -tom |
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to china crisis
Re: MonoployThe only other choice I have is satellite. Since I live in a condo, it would be a pain for me to install the dish and I'd also loose the ability to watch my local sports teams as Comcast has the broadcast rights. I'd say that limits my cable choices to one. I'm sure I'm not the only person in that situation either. They can charge me what they want as soon as they get the regulatory board to rubber stamp it. |
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BarneyBadAssBadasses Fight For Freedom
Premium Member
join:2004-05-07
00001
1 edit |
to Primis1
Re: Is Comcast Too Big?naw.. Comcast to big... I don't think so... I mean.. they only get to big when they are so big they collapse under thier own weight and are unable to make a decision at the lowest levels to buy a $0.25 pencil.
So, I think Comcast should continue to become the monolith it seems to want to become just so at some point in the future it has a massive collapse and melt down.
Won't that be spectacular for the economy???
---Barney
Edit; just so everyone is clear; does this sound like sarcasm or what? |
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Taget
Member
2005-Aug-3 11:36 am
Depends...How much are they contributing to the politicians and how many jobs are they providing to their family. And we can't forget FCC members and their family. As long as this issue is taken care the world is the limit. |
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Ammler
Premium Member
join:2005-04-19
Pittsburgh, PA |
to china crisis
Re: MonoployPittsburgh, PA
Adlephia has tried to enter the city in previous years and was told by the city that they couldn't because Comcast was already here and they didnt' want another set of cable lines on the poles. |
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to nixen
Re: It's not getting smaller....said by nixen:said by uncwjason:The invisible bandwidth cap is another tool they have over us. "well, you can't go over the speed limit, but we don't think we need to put up speed limit signs anyway. We'll just revoke your license when you do exceed the speed limit" Heh. That's not a speed limit. That's more like saying "you can drive this many miles. You chose how fast to drive them, but when you've driven them, you're done." -tom like an auto lease. |
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wwdubbia
1 edit |
to china crisis
Re: Monoploysaid by china crisis:said by wildcards2000:
When there is only one allowed service provider, it can be nothing else.
Name one town where there is only ONE ALLOWED service provider? Don't blame Comcast becuase another provider wil not come into your town. Name more than 5 towns that DO allow more than one cable provider. |
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nixenRockin' the Boxen
Premium Member
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA |
to wwdubbia
Re: It's not getting smaller....said by wwdubbia:said by nixen:said by uncwjason:The invisible bandwidth cap is another tool they have over us. "well, you can't go over the speed limit, but we don't think we need to put up speed limit signs anyway. We'll just revoke your license when you do exceed the speed limit" Heh. That's not a speed limit. That's more like saying "you can drive this many miles. You chose how fast to drive them, but when you've driven them, you're done." -tom like an auto lease. Except that with the car lease, you can drive more miles than you prepaid. It's not like the leasing company will send somebody out to boot your car if you go past your mileage alotment, they just pound you in the a$$ when you go to turn the vehicle in at end of lease. -tom |
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to china crisis
Re: Monoploy"Don't blame Comcast"
Where did I say Comcast? What I said was cable, meaning cable companies. If you have been reading up on the latest reports. Cable companies including Comcast have lobbied to not allow competition. Where can I get high speed Internet, other then cable? Too far for DSL.
Towson
Columbia
Ellicott City
Westminster
Ocean City
Glen Burnie
Fredrick
Hagerstown
cooksville
For starters |
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to wwdubbia
Chicago, and the sururbs have more than 1 service, like Wide Open West, RCN, 21st Century, Comcast and Western, depends on where you are around here.;) |
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 imrf
Premium Member
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI |
to Ammler
said by Ammler:Pittsburgh, PA Adlephia has tried to enter the city in previous years and was told by the city that they couldn't because Comcast was already here and they didnt' want another set of cable lines on the poles. Then blame your city for being stupid. Adelphia tried and your city shot them down because they didn't want the hassle. |
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| imrf |
to wildcards2000
said by wildcards2000:
Where can I get high speed Internet, other then cable? Too far for DSL. So cry, kick, stomp and petition your local telco to get off their butts and get you DSL. That isn't the cable companies problem, and it doesn't make them a monopoly either because of that. |
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1 edit |
to Taget
Re: Depends...I am an Adelphia customer. People seem to forget about the quality of service that we'll receive from whoever (in all likelihood, Comcast) takes over Adelphia. Many of the people against the acquisition think that some other companies (who are not even in the cable business) who were outbid, should be allowed to purchase Adelphia. As an Adelphia customer, I would be incredibly pissed off about this, as the people taking over would not know one thing about the cable industry and how to run a major cable operation. Because of this, they would likely keep all the crooked people who are in charge at Adelphia in place, and essentially we'd still have Adelphia. If Comcast takes over, they can integrate us into their existing system, and things will be much smoother. Not to mention that all the crooked suits at Adelphia will no longer be in charge. |
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 NPGMBR
join:2001-03-28
Arlington, VA |
to nixen
Re: It's not getting smaller....Does it even matter? It does not take a genius to understand the OPs point! |
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imrf
Premium Member
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI |
imrf to vpoko
Premium Member
2005-Aug-3 11:52 am
to vpoko
Re: Genuinely curioussaid by vpoko: Is a monopoly dangerous Sometimes. and should it be allowed? Should it, no, but it does happen and there isn't much we can do about it. Is this situation bordering on a monopoly? No. |
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to imrf
Re: MonoployAnd why do you think the politicians "don't want the hassle"? It wouldn't have anything to do with them being on Comcast's payroll in one form or another would it? Wake up. |
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nixenRockin' the Boxen
Premium Member
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA |
to NPGMBR
Re: It's not getting smaller....said by NPGMBR:Does it even matter? It does not take a genius to understand the OPs point! Except that the OP's point was imprecise/inaccurate. It's not a speed limit. The speed limit is the 10Mbps (or whatever) speed that the cable connection supports. What the OP is complaining about is a utilization limit. -tom |
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 Mactronel Camino Real
Premium Member
join:2001-12-16
PRK |
Mactron
Premium Member
2005-Aug-3 11:57 am
I wonderI wonder how much the Alameda CA Comcast franchise contributed to that 64% quarterly increase for mother ship Comcast ? Probably not much. Comcast has to actually compete in that market !  Comcast to big ? You Bet Ya !!!  » Comcast Slamming?» www.alamedapt.com/Funny, twice as many channels for less than half the price of my local Comcast franchise.  But we don't need no stink'n competition .  |
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 mbernste
MVM
join:2001-06-30
Piscataway, NJ |
to wwdubbia
Re: MonoployWoodbridge, NJ for one. They took the unusual step two years ago to contact thirteen different cable companies to see if any would be interested in coming into town as either an overbuilder or a replacement for Comcast. Those that even bothered to answer said that it would be too expensive to build a plant nor would they take over the existing plant from Comcast for the same reason. |
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imrf
Premium Member
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI |
to rob0809
huh? What do politicians have to do with this. His problem is local municipality and their lack of competence. It has nothing to do with being on anyones payroll. Wake up. |
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caco
Premium Member
join:2005-03-10
Whittier, AK |
caco
Premium Member
2005-Aug-3 12:00 pm
Not yet but getting close.As far as tv service goes Comcast or any other cable company do not have a monopoly. Directv and Dish both offer tv service usually cheaper and some could argue with better picture quality. In regards to broadband internet services, it pretty much depends if you have a Bell company or other company providing wireless or dsl service in the area. There is always Satellite internet service which of course is expensive but does the trick.Phone service, no monopoly there since you can dump your land line in a minute and go to a cell phone and many folks have done just that.
I don't believe Comcast classifies as a monopoly. |
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to imrf
Re: MonoployHave you ever heard of a local franchise license? Who is it that grants these? Put your head back in Mr. Robert's lap now. |
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vpoko
Premium Member
join:2003-07-03
Boston, MA |
vpoko to imrf
Premium Member
2005-Aug-3 12:06 pm
to imrf
Re: Genuinely curiousWhat do you mean we can't do anything about it. Aren't there legal remedies "we" (the people) could take? Or are you saying that even though it's bad, we should let it go? |
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Comcast to big ? You Bet Ya !!! 
